Teaching Mowing

   / Teaching Mowing #1  

Iplayfarmer

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Joined
Jul 11, 2005
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Location
Idaho
Tractor
Massey Ferguson 1215, Case 801B
My 8-year-old daughter who has shown a lot of responsibility asked if I'd teach her to mow the grass. Seeing the potential for free labor and extra time in the future, I agreed and together we mowed the back yard.

It took work to keep a straight face, but I succeeded. In the picture below, you can see my demonstration swaths on the the right as I showed her how to keep the long grass under the mower and make a straight line. The artistic curves on the left are her accomplishment as her line gradually got more and more crooked.

In the end the entire lawn got mowed, but she put twice as many miles on the mower as I usually do. She was a good sport about it. She knew that she has some learning to do, but she was happy to have had a shot at it.
 

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   / Teaching Mowing #2  
She was just trying to get MORE seat time!!! You have taught her well :thumbsup:
 
   / Teaching Mowing #3  
So, did she enjoy it and want to do it again?

I know I started about that age and was hooked. I think it's a good thing to do this, kids have some fun and develop a work ethic at the same time.
 
   / Teaching Mowing #4  
As I have gotten older, I find I am less picky when it comes to how my yard is mowed especially by free labor; close enough for me:thumbsup:
 
   / Teaching Mowing #5  
I learned at that age and now have my own. :D
 
   / Teaching Mowing #6  
Once not long after daughter (about 10 yrs old) started mowing I looked over there and she was singing and and going all over the place. :laughing: I took me more time to cut the missed spots then it took to cut the yard normally, but I smile every time I think of it she was so cute doing it. :thumbsup: I wish I had a video of it.
 
   / Teaching Mowing #7  
My daughter is 14 now and driving the John Deere rider to take care of my Dad's place. She likes it so far. At our house when she was young I would mow in smiley faces in the yard or other designs she could see from her upstairs bedroom. I wasn't happy to mow straight lines. :)
 
   / Teaching Mowing #8  
I was pushing a push mower when I was 7-8,[we was too poor hillbillys to have anything you ride],but my daughter who is 12 is too young in my opinion to cut grass with anything that can cut her foot in half,just me,maybe too guarded.

Sure she could,and it would probably work out all right with her keeping her feet and all,but if she did happen to put her foot down in wrong spot and cut it in half,I couldn't live with it.

I remember not to many year ago,when I was on a slope,and lawnmower tilting that I put my foot down[used to riding motorcycles],luckly for me nothing got chopped off,but after it happened,hair stood up,[you know the feeling,maybe],about how lucky I was,and upset first before doing that.

When will she be old enough in my guarded opinion?,,maybe about the time she can pass my drivers test for a car.
 
   / Teaching Mowing #9  
The artistic curves on the left are her accomplishment as her line gradually got more and more crooked.


That is a new pattern of mowing, based on the same principle they use now in laying carpert. Cut ziz zag so the seams will not show. This way the tracks will be offset so no one will see where the tires went.
 
   / Teaching Mowing
  • Thread Starter
#10  
So, did she enjoy it and want to do it again?

I know I started about that age and was hooked. I think it's a good thing to do this, kids have some fun and develop a work ethic at the same time.

She knew that she had not done the job she expected of herself, but I think she's determined enough to try it again. She's a smart little critter. She learns things well.

When will she be old enough in my guarded opinion?,,maybe about the time she can pass my drivers test for a car.

That's why I have her driving the mowers and small garden tractors now... so it will be less of a learning curve for her when she starts driving the car.

That is a new pattern of mowing, based on the same principle they use now in laying carpert. Cut ziz zag so the seams will not show. This way the tracks will be offset so no one will see where the tires went.

I have played with fun patterns in my yard at times. Circles is my favorite... especially when I'm in a hurry. I'll pick some tree or bush in the middle of the yard and mow in a spiral around it 'till I'm done. I never have to turn around.
 
 
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